Focusing hand searchlight



xPavtented Oct. 19, 1926.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT oFFlc RICHARD MAX EATON, OF NIAGARA FALLS,

NEW' YORK, ASSIGNOR TO NIAGARA SEARCAHLIG'HT COMIEANY,l IN C., OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, A4 CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

Application filed September This`invent-ion relates to portable' electric lampsand one of its objects is to provide a lamp capable of producing a steady continuous light or a series o f flashes, as may be desired, the light beingv controlled by`novel means dispensing entirely with the usual push-button or .sliding switches, eliminating occasional premature or accidental lighting, the unsightliness of such proj ecting parts and the expense of their construction.

A further purpose is to produce a hand lamp having a flexible bumper to protect the bulb from shock and damage due to falls.

blows, rough handling and the like, the bulb being provided with an enclosed reflector whereby its surface is efiiciently protected from handling,dirt and injury.

Another aim is in the provision of a lamp capable of having its light diffused or focused at will, the reflector lens and `bonnet shell being united and operative as an inte- `gra-l body with respect to the main portion of the lamp and its bulb.

Still l.other objectsareto provide extra bulb carrying compartments without increasing the length or diameter of the body;

in the simplicityof construction, which includes a minimum' number-'0f parts, and 1n the easeof manipulationo the lamp.

These and other important objects are ac-.-

complished by the novel construction, combination -and arrangement of parts hereinafter ldescribed and shown in the accompanyling drawing, forming an essential portion of this disclosure, and in which Figure l is a side elevational view of an electric lamp made in accordance with the invention.

Fi ure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectiona view of the front portion of the same.

- Figure 3 is a similar view 'of the rear por.

tion thereof.

Figure .4 is a bottom plan view of the lamp casing cover, p'arts being broken away to show the construction.

A Figure 5 is a top plan view of the bulb' support.

Figure 6`is a bottom plan view ofthe contact carrier atached to the lower side of the bulb support.

-In common with electric llamps of--the flash light'type in general, the main body or cas- '.ing 10 is composed of a metallic cylinder en- FocUsING HAND SEARCHLIGHT.

11, 1924. Serial No. 737,090.

lai-ged at' its rear portion 11 and provided v with rolled screw threads 12, the interior `of battery cells 13. V Y

A cover, indicated .generically by the numeral 14, consists of a resilient'disc 15 having a beaded V'edge 16 which may be knurled or -formed into a polygonal shape as shown, and from which extends an annularly flanged portion 17, provided with screw threads 18 suited to engage over the correS spending threads 12 at therear end of the casing. v

.Contained within thecover 14 is a con ically wound spiral spring 19, its lowermost convolution fitting the recess within the cover element 16, and its smaller, uppermost coil is clamped between two dielectric washers 20 having between them a fibre plate or washer 21 in contact with the end of the coil and held rigidly by a metallic grommet or eyelet 22 passing through the coil and washer, the ends of the grommet acting as contacts, one of whichis held by the -action of the spring 19 against the contact at the end i groove 23, formed in the disc i cause electrical Contact of the lgrommet between the cell and disc when a flash or flashes only are desired, and the tively to the casing to just prevent positive and fixed contact, the disc l5 yielding slight-v ly under pressure toI produce such eHect.

The front end of the ca'sing is Aalso formed with a similar screw thread 2% to engage on its exterior the correspondingly threaded portion 25 of a bonnet and thereafteran expanded shell portion 28 laving at its upper edge a spun beading 29.

A tongue '3Q is sheared from the screwthreads acting as a spring detent or drag brake whereby the bonnet 26 is held uniform- 1y tight upon the threads 24 bythe frictional effect of the tongue. 1

A lens 31 is secured inthe bead 29, the

cover adjusted rela- 26, having a bead 27 vl() the entrance.

A, 42 is a flange- 46 from which depends awcupm ingan annularly 2 lower peripheral edge'of the lens. resting on the outt'urned flange 32 of a reii'ector 33 havl anged central opening 34' throughwhich the` lampl bulb 35 extends into Ithe space within,the reector 33.

' The stem 36 ofthe bulbis fitted to a socket 37 formed inte l a downtuined anged edge 39 provided with` rally with a plate 38 having screw threads 4.fitted to engage within 'the threads 24,1stops 40 being provided toplimit A pair of dielectric washers 41 and 42, respectively upper and lower, are rigidly held to the underside of the plate 38,- by two or more grommets 43, and fixed in the upper washer 4l is a spring finger A44 extending partially across the axial opening' in the washers, in the space between them, this linger being slightly deflected b`y contact with the tip 45 of the bulb stem 36.

- Also disposed between the washers 4l and 47 the bottom of which'is normally incontact with the contact on the battery ,cell 13,

' and it 'will be understoodthatthe flange-46 is at all times in electrical engagementwith the finger 44, which may be bent by Contact with the .bulb stem 'to `partially enter the top of theopen cup 47. a vSecured byk one or more of kthe grommets 43 is a'spring clip 48, its free .portion 49 overhanging a depression 50 lformed in the i ar'y bulb -stem, and it' willi be apparent'that Vseveral plate 38 and suited toy receive a supernumer- V35', horizontally together `with its Vsuch bulbs may be carried without enlarging or lengthening the lamp, the space-occupied by these bulbs being otherwise iiot"uti1i.faed.

It will now. be apparent that the finger 44 acts as a buffer for -the bulb in actual service and at the same time assures good 'electrical y. contact..

It' will also -be `seen that the reflectgr lection o dust or finger-.marks as its surface is inaccessible.

As the reflector, lens and bonnet move as a unit and are .readily ad'ustable relative to the lamp, which is held. in an essentially fixed position, the light from the bulb may be concentrated or focused as'nely 'as devsired,l or spread widely by merely rotating the 4bonnet on the casing'body, one or two turns edecting'the change required, andsuch relative turning is` accomplished in a smooth and easy manner, without perceptiblyf loosening the parts, due to the spring tongue 30.

In operation, in place of actuating ya switch, as usual setin the side of the casing,

the cover 14'is 'screwed on the casing until` the grornmetl 22 makes contact with the disc l5 and end of thebattery cell, current ass` ing through the cover 1 4, casing or she l 10, plate 38 and socket 37 to the bulb, returning y way of the stem tip 45, finger 44, flange .tact of such .duration for adjusting said cover to in said cover disc,

tcry. If

breaking the circuit, except, as the disc is pressed inward by the operator'to make conas may be desired.v

lflashes rather-than a continuous lightv is desired the cover-is ,backed ofi slightly,

46 andcup 47 to, the. other pole of the hat` i As cha-rgesof construction `could be made within the scope of the invention, it is 'intended that allinatter contained-inthe fore' illustrative and not in a limitingl sense ex cept as limited by the claims.

Having thus described-my invention, what going 4description or shown in the accomfv panying drawings shall beinterpreted as soI l claim as new and desire to secure by fLet ters Patent, is l p 1.*A`n electric lamp comprising ya casing, a batteryrcell therein, a cover adjustably engaged onv the rearend of said' casing, said cover having a:` resilientdisc, a conically wound spiral spring in said cover, an insulated conductor carried by said spring to engage one pole' of the battery cell, means disc, and a light bulb in electrical engage-l nientT with the opposite pole ofthe battery and'said easing. i l

2. Ane'lectricllamp comprising'a casing, a battery cell therein, a cover adjustably engaged on the rear end of said coverv having a resilient disc,y a conically wound spiral spring insaid cover, an insu- .la'ted conductor carried by sa`id` spring to for adjusting said cover-to cause' y the conductorl to rmake contact with-said casing, said;4

loo

engage` one pole of the battery cell, means ductor to 'approachsaid disc, said disc yielding under pressure'to lmake contact with said conductor, and the opposite end of the casing incircuit therewith and with the opposite pole of .said cell., is entirely housed and not subject to the col- 3. -An electric lamp comprising a casing, a-`..battery cell therein, a cover adjustably engaged on the rear end-of saidcasing, said cover havinl a resilientdisc, a conically wound spira spring'in 'said cover, an insu-- lated conductor' carried'by said spring to engage one pole of the' .battery cell, means for' retarding the action of a light' bulb carried at cause the consaid spring, means for adjusting' the cover v le on the opposite end of said lamp,

of the ,l

'los i being resilient, andal spring Isupported, in-

ing a central opening,l a bulb fixed" i'nthe casing to extend into' the opening said reflector, a concave-convex lens covering friction brake for said bonnet. 6. An electric lamp havin a casing screw-threaded at itsouter en ,-av bonnet adjustably engaged thereon,.a reflector having a central opening, 'a tongue sheared in the thread of said vcasing to frictinally env gage the threads of the bonnet, a bulb -2`u tlxedly lcarried by said casing to' project into the reflector, yand a. lensvclamped by.

said bonnet ever the reflector,

7, An electrici lamp hav-ing a-bonnet, -a reliector and lens fixed in said bonnet, av light bulb, a casin inv which said bulb is .xed, means for a justng said bonnet, re-

flector and lens as a'unit relatively to said bulb whereby the light 'may .'be focused or diffused at will, and -a resilient e prong formed -in said casing to frictionally retain said bonnet in adjustment. y 1 8. Anelectric lamp comprising av'casing, abattery cell therein, a coverengaged on the rear end of saidcasing, a bonnet `ad said y refiector, aA bead on said bonnetto' secure the reflector andlens, and a spring tongue sheared from the casing to'act as a `end of said casing, a light bulb removably" engaged in said plate, said plate having one or moredepressionsin its outer surface adjaentsad bulb, a clip xed on said plate. to retain a supernumerary bulb in the depression, and controllable means for mak ing-on breaking circuit connections between 4&6

the cell and fixed bulb.

.,9'. In an electric lamp,a bulb supporting means comprising a plate having a raised socket to receive the'stem of the bulb, means on said plate to carry supernumerary bulbs vina reclining position, said means including depressions and spring 'clips to engage the stems of vsaid bulbs, means for'removably 'engaging said plate to the body of the lamp, and. insulated means carried by said plate to conduct current to the socket carried bulb,lsaid means including a aresilient element.

10. Inlan electric lamp,.a .bulb supporting' means comprisinga plate having va* raised socket to receive the-, stem of the bulb, said plate being removably attached to the front end of the lamp casing, a 'battery'cell in the lamp casing, a pair of dielectric Washers fixed to the underside of said plate, a spring linger fixed between -.the

juxtaposed Washer to extend into the open ing therein and make contact with the stem tip' of the bulb, and a cup having a flange ldisposed betweenA said Washers in contact with said linger, said cup being normally;

in engagement With said cell.. `justably engaged onthefront end o f the casing, a' reflector and lens fixed in said' i bonnet, a support plate fixed*` in the front his 8th day of 

